Fresh and Exciting

Absolutely Fantastic

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Cambridge University is one of the best in the world. Some of its alumni show off in the Footlights and later drift into show business: Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson, Hugh Laurie, Tony Slattery, etc.They make shows and films that might be of intense interest to their narcissistic selves, often showing their true colours while pretending them to be comic, satiric, or whatever.Peter (Stephen Fry) is - yawn - rich, thanks to his recently deceased father. He invites a small group of old chums, and their partners, to his pile for a New Year party. All are semi-nutters, including some out of touch for four years. None are even slightly interesting.The so-called humour is laboured. Only the most easily pleased viewer will crack the faintest of smiles in nearly two hours.Naturally there are complications. Friend Sarah, a token pigmented person with a disastrous romantic history, has bonked two of the small party in the past, including presently celibate, formerly bisexual and - shock late announcement - HIV positive Peter. Her latest amour is an impossible character played horribly by Tony Slattery, for which he deserves a Golden Raspberry award.The supposedly intelligent and successful people of Peter's Friends are wholly incapable of leading ordered lives. Is this really how Fry, Branagh and company see themselves? The only sympathetic character is Vera the housekeeper, who announces her departure towards the end - but not before some absurd scenes involving her wood-chopping son, including a chatting-up by Sarah and a woman-on-top bonk with Emma Thompson.Branagh's representation of a drunk was certainly not a performance that contributed to his later knighthood.Peter's Friends is a film, full of luvvies pretending to poke fun at themselves, but obviously without believing a word of it, and hoping to earn enough from it to keep them in the style they think their superior intelligence deserves. Awful.

Absolutely captivating. Acting so good it looks effortless, thereby very real. Don't care if it has been called a ripoff. It sure entertained me. Would love to see more fine productions like this. BTW, its pleasant blend of life, sex and rock & roll give it just the flavor I've been looking for. Peter is my favorite character, funny, sad, hopeful and stoic all at the same time. He is the physical connection, so very grounded. Andrew is so well-played; his "apology" scene is one of the highlights of the story. I see him as the mental one. And Maggie, bless her heart, has such ephemeral qualities, her efforts as peacemaker really are touching, soft and unforgettable. She is the emotional and spiritual connection. These are real people with real back stories who react in very real ways. And isn't that what cinema is all about?

"Peter's friends" is a seemingly modest, delectable and almost quiet film about the people we become if we're lucky. It's one of those extremely rare reunion movies where very dissimilar characters are bound together by sincere friendship, not old resentments. As they're invited to a country manor by one of them to celebrate New Year's and enjoy each other's company for old times' sake, they're unfazed by the impression they may leave, but perhaps too eager to make it a fun time together. It's the people they bring along that start to complicate everything but also truly re-unite them.The cast is fantastic (mind the wonderful Phyllida Law, Thompson's mother, in the role of Vera) and the atmosphere brilliantly subdued. The upbeat late 80's music brings back memories, and it's a sorely needed uplifting element amidst the dreary British winter. Branagh's direction leaves some direction to be desired, but it's exactly that slightly amateurish feel to it that makes the film tick.When I watched "Peter's friends" for the first time more than ten years ago, it struck me as a slow-paced movie, quirky but fun. A decade later, it seems spirited, joyful and warm with lots of smirks, some laughs, and plenty of "I know this awful embarrassing feeling" moments. It's also become a great testimony to the late 80s, early 90s era, now trapped in time but well remembered for its excess in clothing, opulence in music, powerful political movements and, perhaps, youthful naivety. It's a movie I could watch each year anew.

As this was broadcast last night I wanted to take in how it was considered here and was saddened to see that it actually has a respectable score.The talent of the cast as individuals is undeniable, the sets, locations and most of the writing well above par, but somehow the whole becomes less that sum of its parts, congealing like some ghastly precursor to The Office. Every second scene had me gripping at the couch arms cringing in shamed embarrassment for the actors involved as they tried to lay credence to their characters situation under Branagh's direction. This is an even more remarkable achievement when you consider that the roles most actors play are vaguely autobiographical. These slices of docu-soap-reality sandwich what appears to be nothing more than music videos for what must be considered by Branagh to be choice cuts from his music library.How the British film industry ever 'recovered' from this bilge is beyond me and I hope we never see it's like again. An utterly hideous, vile, sickening, saccharine pile of steaming luvvie excrement that has now thankfully been relegated to late night viewings accompanied with sign language.